Go if
You want easy access to Skyline Drive trails and the Appalachian Trail, don't mind a busy campground, and can snag a view site like E180.
Seasonal ranking by Open-Meteo.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0, processed by Outdoorithm.
Price
$30 - $75/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
200 campsites
Season
Reservable season op...
Cell
Has Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Elevation by Open-Meteo.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0, processed by Outdoorithm.
Price
$30 - $75/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
200 campsites
Season
Reservable season op...
Cell
Has Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Elevation by Open-Meteo.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0, processed by Outdoorithm.
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Learn more about alerts →Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va)
Shenandoah National Park Headquarters, 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East, Luray, VA 22835
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
263,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →You want easy access to Skyline Drive trails and the Appalachian Trail, don't mind a busy campground, and can snag a view site like E180.
You need dead quiet, hate generator noise, or want a perfectly level, spacious site since some spots like H215 run uneven and close together.
Camper Report Card
Rated higher than 48% of graded campgrounds
Graded on what 1,082 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.
Strengths
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Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.
Context for the broader area surrounding Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va), sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over 200,000 acres of protected lands that are haven to deer, songbirds, and black bear, there's so much to explore...and your journey begins right here!
Shenandoah National Park is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, west of Washington, D.C. It stretches 105 miles and has four entrances: Front Royal (northern entrance), Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap (southern entrance to Shenandoah and the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway). The physical address listed is to the administrative offices, not the Park itself. GPS can be unreliable for navigating to the Park, so we encourage you to check out our website for more info.
Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (Va) appears in our curated guides. Explore more top-rated campgrounds for the same activities and regions.
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Best season: fall. Fall delivers the standout experience at Big Meadows thanks to spectacular high-elevation foliage, crisp weather, and peak wildlife activity — think a riot of reds, golds, and oranges across the Blue Ridge ridgelines. Daytime temperatures typically range from the mid-40s to mid-60s °F with chilly nights in the 25–40°F range, ideal for strenuous hikes without summer heat and for photography at golden-hour light. Trails, overlooks, and Skyline Drive are busiest on weekends during peak color (mid–/ Peak months: October, September, May, June Avoid: December, January, February
Fall is the standout season with spectacular high-elevation foliage; highest praise in reviews and guide text.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0, processed by Outdoorithm.
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Big Meadows Campground offers extensive amenities designed to accommodate a wide range of visitors, from tent campers to RV travelers. The campground contains over 200 campsites, including group sites and walk-to tent options. Visitors praise the cleanliness and convenience of facilities such as flush toilets, coin-operated showers, and access to potable water. "The restrooms were always clean, and the camp store had a wide selection," one user noted. Limited Wi-Fi is available at the Byrd Visitor Center and Big Meadows Lodge, and cell service is accessible near the Amphitheater. Bear boxes are provided at some sites for secure food storage, and firewood can be purchased on-site. However, some campers expressed frustration with the high cost of firewood ($7.99 per bundle) and showers ($5 for 10 minutes).
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Pulled from per-site mentions in 1471 reviews.
Site E180 received praise for its views of the mountains and proximity to the Appalachian Trail.
However, some sites like H215 were criticized for being uneven.
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Three hand-reasoned picks from nearby campgrounds — one per reason you might prefer it over this spot.

If you want quieter: Lewis Mountain is small and secluded with fewer generator noise complaints than Big Meadows, while still offering showers and trail access.

If you want river access: this state park sits along the Shenandoah River with fishing and electric hookups, unlike the ridge-top Big Meadows setting.

If you want wilder: Camp Roosevelt is a lightly used primitive site with CCC-era history and no crowds, trading showers for solitude.